Mail-bag fastener and lock.



No. 706,2. Fatented Aug. 5, |902.

E. STEVENSN.

MAIL BAG FASTENER AND LUCK.

(Application filed June 12, 1901.)

(Model.)

ELMERSTEVENSON, OF REDFIELD, SOUTH DAKOTA.

lVllL-BAG FSTENER AND LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 706,271, dated August 5, 1902.

Application filed [lune 12| 1901. Serial No. 64,266. (Model.)

To all wiz/0m it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELMER STEvENsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Redield, in the county of Spink and State of South Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Fasteners and I Locks,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain novel improvements in fastening devices for mail bags or pouches; and its primary object is to provide for closing and locking or unlocking and Opening a mail-bag in a more expeditious and convenient manner than has been customary with the fastening devices heretofore used.

Another object of the invention is to arrange the lock upon the closing-strap and support the strap and lock upon the bag, so that the strap may be pulled through the lock to close the bag and fastened in this closed position and unfastened to permit the bag to be opened by moving the lock outward toward the end of the strap.

My invention has other objects in view which will be pointed out hereinafter in the description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,'in which- Figure l is a perspective view of a mail-bag having my improved fastener applied thereto and showing the bag and lock open. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the bag locked. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the locking device. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 4C 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional View on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4.

In the drawings like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in the several iigures, and referring thereto A designates a mail bag or pouch, which may be of any size and character and made of any material, although I prefer to make the bag of strong canvas with a leather bottom a, like those now largely used in the mail-service. The bag is provided with holes B to receive hooks, by means of which it can be supported in an upright position while being filled.

The fastening devices comprise a strap O, which is attached to the bag on one side thereof by a rivet c or other suitable device and has its ends passed through a rectangular sleeve D, which is shown connected with and carried by the locking device F., the outer end of the strap being provided with a stop (Z to prevent the strap from slipping through the sleeve and becoming disengaged therefrom. The sleeve is provided With a flared end F, so that it can be arranged close to the gathered neck of the bag, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, and a hook G is secured on the bag and arranged to engage an opening g in the top of the flared end of the sleeve to support the sleeve and the locking device in proper position upon the bag. It will thus be observed that when the bag is open, as shown in Fig. l, the locking device will be supported upon the bag in its proper relation thereto by means of the hook, and the strap will be held in place by means of the rivet c, so that the fastening devices will always be in their proper position on the bag and will not become displaced or disengaged from the bag in the use thereof.

A lock E is shown rigidly secured to one side of the sleeve D, and the lock-hasp or bow 'H is pivotally secured to the sleeve in lugs h and provided with a post I, which is arranged to enter the lock and be secured therein by suitable spring-lock mechanism, which it is not necessary to show or describe in detail. rlhe hasp is provided Withasocket J to receivea ticket K, which may be held in place by means of a spring 7o or other suitable device.

My improved fastening device is very simple in construction and operation and avoids entirely the necessity for lacing the strap or otherwise manipulating it in closing and fastening the bag. It will be observed also that the fastening devices are permanently connected with the bag and supported thereon in operative position at all times, so that the bag may be opened or closed in a very few seconds and by a very simple operation. In closing the bag the end of the lstrap is grasped in one hand and the locking device is pushed up on the strap until the neck of the bag is gathered closely together in the loop of the strap, so that the hasp may be closedand the post I passed through the hole 7l in the sleeve and the holes i in the strap, these holes in the strap being` located at such point that it is necessary to gather the neck of the `bag y very closely together, and thereby eectually close the bag in order to bring the holes in the strap into register with the hole in the IOO sleeve,so that the post may pass therethrough. I preferably provide a spring-lock of some approved construction which is locked when the hasp is pressed into closed position, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, and unlocked by means of a key M.

Instead of making the lock E rigid with the sleeve I may provide a removable lock of any suitable construction adapted to engage the post I and hold it in locking engagement with the strap, the only difference being the substitution of any ordinary padlock for the lock shown rigidly secured to the sleeve in the drawings and the provision of an opening in the post I to receive the yoke or shackle of the lockin the ordinary and well-known manner.

When it is desired to open the bag, the key is used to unlock the lock, and then the bag being held at a point adjacent to the rivet c the locking device is drawn outward on the strap. As the locking device is engaged With the hook G, this movement will open the bag, as shown in Fig. l, and the locking device and strap will remain supported on the bag in proper position for instantly closing the same.

By the use of my invention I am able to make a mail bag or pouch much lighter in weight than those now in use, and the construction and arrangement of the fastening means herein described provide for closing and fastening and unfastening and opening the mail-bag much more quickly than has been possible heretofore With the fastening means generally employed. It Will be observed that I secure the locking device movably on the strap and permanently to the bag, so that it will always be in` proper position for instant use, and this locking device is preferably employed to open the bag in the manner shown and described, although it will be understood that the hook G may be dispensed with, if preferred.

I am aware that changes in the form and proportion of parts and details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages of the invention, and I therefore reserve the right to make all such changes as fairly fall Within the scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination with a bag, of a strap encircling the bag and having its ends extended, and a locking device comprising a sleeve slidably arranged on the ends of the strap, said strap. being provided with registering holes t" to be engaged by the locking device when the strap is tightened on the bag to close the same, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a bag, of a strap encircling the bag and fastened thereto at or about its middle, said strap being provided with registering holes t" and having its ends eX- tended and connected together, a locking device comprising a sleeve through which the ends of the strap slide and means for engaging the holes in the strap When the latter is drawn taut on the bag to close the same, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a bag of a strap encircling the bag and having its ends ex tended, a locking device slidably arranged on the ends of the strap, and ahook fastened to the bag and engaging and holding the locking device.

4. The combination with a strap, ofa sleeve slidably arranged on said strap, a lock on one side of the sleeve, and a hasp pivoted to the sleeve on the other side thereof and provided with a post arranged to pass through holes in the sleeve and strap and enter the lock.

5. The combination Witha strap,of a sleeve slidably arranged on said strap, a lock on one side of the sleeve, lugs on the other side of the sleeve, a hasp pivoted in said lugs and provided on its outer side with a card-holder, and a post on its other side to pass through .openings in the sleeve and strap and enter the lock.

6. The combination with a bag, of a strap loosely encircling the bag and havingits ends extended, said strap being fastened at or about its middle to the bag and having a stop at its ends, a locking device arranged on said strap between said stop and the bag and comprising an elongated sleeve through Which the strap operates freely, and means for locking the strap and sleeve together, substantially as described.

7. The combination With a bag, of a strap encircling the bag and attached thereto on one side and having its ends extended said strap being provided with registering holes in its sides, a sleeve slidably arranged on the ends of the strap and having a flared end adjacent to the bag, a lock carried by the sleeve on one side thereof, a hasp pivotally supported on the other side of the sleeve, and a post carried by the hasp and arranged to pass through openings in the sleeve and said openings in the strap When the strap has been drawn through the sleeve to close the bag.

S. The combination with a bag, of'a strap encircling the bag, a locking device arranged on said strap and comprising a hasp, a post on the hasp arranged to enter openings in the strap and a lock for securing the hasp in engagement with the strap, substantially as described.

ELMER S'IEVENSON.

Witnesses:

D. H. CAMPBELL,- F. D. ARNOLD.

IOO 

